San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-12-24


have made all my friends enemies"
Forcing back her tears resolutely, she
slowly opened her letter.
The very first words startled her. She
flushed to her brow: then she read on stead
lily to the end, turned the page, and went
back, and read through again. After that
she sat for several moments perfectly still,
the burning color in her face fading grad
ually away. and leaving her deadly white;
but there was a dangerous culver about
the delicate nOStTil, a dangerous light in
the dark eyes.
And yet there was more feeling in the
letter than she had given Aston Lawford
credit for, and her heart smOte her heavi-
ly. He asked her to be his wife: he told
her he loved her deeply and sincerely, and
would in everything study her happiness.
That sounded conventional, but there was
true ring in 1t, too. Then he reminded
her that she had treated him with some
caprice; but he was sure she had not in
tended to wound him, lie weighed some
what on her aunt s approval of his suit, and
intimated delicately, but clearly, that ne
desired a sincere and decided answer, for
which he trusted she would not keep him
waiting long.
But from beginning to end there was
tone of security which stuug the girls
pride; it was like making a merely formal
offer of that which was certain of aCcepta-
ton; no doubts, no fears, but a complacent
sense of the honor he, Aston LawfOrd, was
doing her, Valerie Herbert, in Offering her
his hand and heart, and millions.
Suddenly Valerie rose up, letting the
letter fall to the floor, and clasping her
hands above her head.
Have l." she said, through her teeth,
half aloud, "given him the right to speak
to me like thisf He seems more to be
claiming his property-as if l were so many
tons of iron"-with q short laugh-"than
asking me for the greatest gift man can
askp'
She sank down again, hiding her face in
the cushion of the chair.
"Ahl how differently he would writew
was whispered in her heart, but not by her
lips; "but, then he would come to me
would entreat, as he would never entreat
for life. Ahp' starting up, and pressing
her hands on her temples, flushing with
bitter shame, even in her solitude, at the
thoughts that thronged into her brain, and
made her heart beat to suffocation, II am
mad to dream sol This letter." she stopped
and picked it up. YES" she added, slow
", 81 have been wrong: have not been
wholly just to him. To hide my own Sc
cret have gone too far; and aunt Con-
stance will have a right to be angry All
the world will call me jilt. Lett! let aunt
Constance send me back to Wexford.
would not marry Aston LawfOrd to save
myself from the most horrible death that
or,,aItxy nnt,ld
She went TO her davenport and threw up
the lid.
eyes" she said he shall have his an
swer soon; will not keep him waiting"
Then once more she paused. NO. | must
not write hastily Unjust try not to wound
him. Oh! does he love me-if only a littlc1
have been wrOng-wrong"
She dropped her face on her clasped hands
on the desk, sObbing bitterly.
But by-and-by she raised herself, and
when she had grown calmer, drew paper
toward her, and began to write. She, too,
cast aside not few letters before she could
write one that she could send, and she was
far from satisfied with this. Thus it ran:
"DEAR Mr. LAwFoRD!
Your letter was given to me this after
can with your request for speedy answer;
for, indeed, there is no necessity for DELAY
| might, II | took more time for considera-
ton, say better what have to say; but if
delayed replying for a month my answer
would be still the same. know that you
do me great honor in asking me 10 be
your wife-an honor that, for some reasons,
do not deserve-but forgive me when l
say that cannot accept your offer. ! will
not deny that may Though not intention
ally have led you to expect different an
swer; but entreat you to believe that |
never supposed you did more than admire
me, as others have done. For my fault in
this ask your pardon, making no excuse,
though ] might plead some; still was
wrong. You urge that aunt Constance
favors your suit; but though | would please
her in all things possible, cannot in this
L know you would do your utmost to make
me happy; but do not love you, and with
out love all that the world could give me
would not make me happy. You warn me,
courteously but firmly, not to tritie with
you further, and reject your offer TO prove
my power, while, in truth, | have no inten-
ton of final rejection. Let me say, then
believe me or not, as you will--that | am
writing this to you from my heart-that no
earthly power could make me, no tempta-
ton could induce me, to become your wife
refuse your offer now and forever; and ]
am certainly not vain enough to believe
that after this you will ever wish to renew
it. Ever yours faithfully,
VALERIE MAUDE HERBERT"
1t was characteristic of Valerie that her
first thought was to despatch the letter
without even showing it to her aunt; but
this, on second thought, seemed uncouTte-
GUS, even undutiful. She would wait at
least until the latest hour she could send
that night. She would not keep Lawford
IN y 0OasssSsGl